Folding pallet



Jan. 31, 1967 R. w. LANDSIEDEL FOLDING PALLET Filed OOJL. 14, 1965United States The invention relates generally to a pallet structure andmore particularly to a folding pallet which may be set up to support apallet board and goods thereon or to permit folding into a compact massfor storage and thus is particularly adapted for use in warehouses,trailer trucks and the like.

The invention has among its objects the production of a folding palletwhich may be collapsed into a minimum volume, whereby it will takelittle space when not in use.

A further object is the production of such a pallet which has a minimumof separable pieces, which may be secured together into a unitary foldedpackage.

Another object of the invention is the production of a pallet havingsuch advantageous features which is relatively very simple inconstruction, inexpensive to manufacture and which may be of ruggedconstruction to provide a maximum usable life.

A further object of the invention is the production of a pallet havingsuch advantages which is so designed that it forms a un-itary assemblywhich will permit engagement of a fork lift, either with the palletmembers, whereby the pallet, pallet board and load thereon may be pickedup by the fork lift, or if desired, merely the pallet board and the loadmay be picked up.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosure herein given.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet embodying the presentinvention, illustrated in opened position, and with a cooperable palletboard disposed thereabove, portions of the latter being broken away toshow the details of construction of the pallet;

FIG. 2 is a sectional View of the side member 5b taken approximately onthe line 2 2 of FIG. 1, and the end portions of the brace member 7;

FIG. 3 is a top plan View lof :the pallet structure with` theintermediate brace member and the yside members disposed in foldedposition; and

IFIG. 4 is an end elevational v-iew of the folded assembly illustratedin FIG. 3.

The present invention contemplates the production of a pallet structurecomprising respective side members suitably connected together to permitfolding of the structure, whereby all of the side members are disposedin substantially parallel relation adjacent to one another, with theoverall thickness of the folded assembly being substantially equal tothe combined thickness of the respective side members, a brace memberbeing provided for main taining the structure in opened relation.

Referring to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 1 indicates a palletstructure which is of generally rectangular shape, having four sidemembers, two of which side members 2 and 3, are of unitary construction,while the other pair of side members 4 and S are constructed in twosections of equal length 4a and 4b, and 5a and 5b, arranged to form arectangle, with the respective side members forming the perimeterthereof.

The side members are hinged at the corners of the rectangle and thesections of the side members 4 and 5 are hinged at their junctures. Aswill be apparent from a reference to FIGS. l and 3, the respective sidemembers may be pivotally connected by hinges 6 disposed at the corners,such hinges being disposed with ltheir pivots subl at fice

stantially at the junctures of the inner walls of the respective sidemembers, while the hinges 6', connecting the abutting ends of thesections of each pair of side members, are disposed with their pivotssubstantially at the juncture of the outer walls of the respectivesections.

It will be apparent that with this construction of the side members andthe disposition of the hinge pivots, the sections of the side members 4and 5 may be pivoted inwardly to dispose such sections in parallelrelation between the two sections 2 and 3, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Atthe same time such disposition of the hinges will tend to re- Sistmovement of the side members out of a rectangular relationship, otherthan with respect to such folding action, so that a relatively rigidstructure is provided as long as folding movement of the two sectionedside members is prevented. This may be readily accomplished by theprovision of a brace member 7 which extends parallel to the side members2 and 3 and abuts the side members 4 and 5.

In the construction illustrated, as will be apparent in FIG. 2, thesections 4a and 4b are cooperably notched in their upper and lower edgesat the juncture of the two members as indicated at 8 to form a combinednotch of a size to snugly receive the tongue 7 formed on the adjacentend of the brace member 7, and in like manner the sections 5a and 5b aresimilarly notched as indicated at 8. The interlock-ing construction ofthe brace member 7 and the side members 4 and 5 permit either edge ofthe pallet to be yon the bottom and at the same time insures retentionof the brace member 7 in assembled relation, as the projections 7prevent the brace member from dropping out, as well as permitting it toeffectively carry a part of the load on the pallet board. It will beapparent that as the sections 4a and 4b, and 5a and 5b cannot pivotoutwardly from their positions as illustrated in FIG. 1, the bracemember will be adequately retained in operative position and at the sametime, the latter will prevent inward movement of the sections of theside members, thereby maintaining the pallet in its opened position andform-ing a relatively rigid structure.

The pallet described normally will be employed in conjunction with apallet board 9 which may be of any suitable construction, depending uponthe nature of the goods to be supported thereby, as for example, ofplywood, masonite, heavy cardboard or similar material, or a metalstructure of mesh or expanded metal which is adapted to be supported onthe upper edges of the pallet structure. Normally such pallet board willmerely rest upon the pallet structure without requiring aligning orfastening means of any kind.

The side members 2-5 and brace member 7 are provided along their loweredges with upwardly extending notches 11, having a length, spacing andvertical height which is such as to permit the reception of a fork liftbelow a pair of side walls 4 and 5, or the side walls 2, 3 and bracemember 7, whereby the pallet structure may be supported on such a forklift. It is often desirable to pick up with such fork lift only thepallet board and the load disposed thereon, and to facilitate suchoperation the upper edges of the side members and brace member areprovided with corresponding notches 12, whereby the fork lift may bedisposed between the pallet structure and the pallet board and thuspermitting the fork lift to pick up only the pallet board and the loadthereon.

The pallet structure may be made of any suitable material, usuallyhardwood or the like of suitable width and thickness to support the loadfor which it is designed, a suitable dimensioning for average use,utilizing 2 x 6 lumber, with the pallet having dimensions of 40 x 48inches or 42 x 48 inches which are standard sizes. In suchconstructions, the folded package of side'members and brace memberswould be dimensioned 58 inches X inches x 6 inches, whereby the foldedpackage is less than a quarter of the bulk of a corresponding palletwhich cannot be folded. Likewise, the pallet boards 4are normally ofhalf inch thickness or less, depending upon the material to be supportedthereon and in the event the pallet board is of wood or the like, it maybe perforated or otherwise processed to provide for the movement of airtherethrough if desirable to provide ventilation for the goods supportedon the pallet.

The pallet structure may be maintained in folded relation by suitablemeans, as for example, a bolt 13 which extends through board 14 in theside members 2 and 3 and brace member 7, which bolt may be in the formof an eye-bolt having an eye 15 by means of which the folded package maybe supported. In some cases it may be desirable to provide retainingstraps 16 and 17, suitably connected by bolts 18, `by means of which thefolded package may be retained in operative position and in some casesit may be desirable to form brackets similar to those illustrated inFIG. 4, and in dotted lines in FIG. 3, supporting more than one pallet.

It will be noted from the above description that I have provided apallet structure of extremely simple construction Which may be readilyfolded to a package of minimum bulk for storage or transportation.

It might be mentioned that in the fabrication of the pallet structure,the hinges will normally be attached to the respective side members bybolts which are suitably countersunk to prevent binding andinterference.

Having thus described my invention, it will be apparent that variousimmaterial modiiications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence I do not Wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement andcombination of parts herein shown and described or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a folding pallet, the combination of a plurality of elongated sidemembers, each having a height greater than their thickness, arranged toform the perimeter of a rectangle, with a pair of opposite sides of therectangle each being formed in two sections of equal length, and theother pair of side members being of unitary construction, hinge meansconnecting said side members at the corners of the rectangle and at theadjacent ends of the respective pairs of sections, the hinge means atthe respective corners being disposed to pivot at the junctions of theinner walls of said side members, and the intermediate hinge means atsaid section junctions being disposed to pivot at the outer wallsthereof, whereby said sections may be pivoted into parallel relationwith the other two side members, forming a folded structure having atotal width approximately equal to the combined width of tWO of saidsections and the pair of unitary side mem bers, and a detachable bracemember extending between the respective sectioned side members, thelatter being notched to receive the abutting ends of said brace member,with the brace member being operative to prevent inward movement of saidsections to folded positions, said brace member and said side memberseach having a pair of notches in the bottom edges thereof, spaced topermit reception of a fork lift thereunder on which the pallet may becarried` 2. A pallet as defined in claim 1, wherein said brace memberand said side members are also provided with corresponding notches intheir upper edges for the reception of a fork lift vbelow any palletboard supported therein, whereby such a pallet board may be liftedtherefrom.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 490,320 l/l893Smyth 10S-124 521,905 6/1894 Young et al. 108-77 900,552 10/1908 Kade108--124 1,072,550 9/1913 Wilson 10S-157 1,185,563 5/1916 Wells 10S-1243,133,511 5/1964 Phillips 10S-55 FORElGN PATENTS 1,214,731 1l/1959France.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A FOLDING PALLET, THE COMBINATION OF A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SIDEMEMBERS, EACH HAVING A HEIGHT GREATER THAN THEIR THICKNESS, ARRANGED TOFORM THE PERIMETER OF A RECTANGLE, WITH A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDES OF THERECTANGLE EACH BEING FORMED IN TWO SECTIONS OF EQUAL LENGTH, AND THEOTHER PAIR OF SIDE MEMBERS BEING OF UNITARY CONSTRUCTION, HINGE MEANSCONNECTING SAID SIDE MEMBERS AT THE CORNERS OF THE RECTANGLE AND AT THEADJACENT ENDS OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF SECTIONS, THE HINGE MEANS ATTHE RESPECTIVE CORNERS BEING DISPOSED TO PIVOT AT THE JUNCTIONS OF THEINNER WALLS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS, AND THE INTERMEDIATE HINGE MEANS ATSAID SECTION JUNCTIONS BEING DISPOSED TO PIVOT AT THE OUTER WALLSTHEREOF, WHEREBY SAID SECTIONS MAY BE PIVOTED INTO PARALLEL RELATIONWITH THE OTHER TWO SIDE MEMBERS, FORMING A FOLDED STRUCTURE HAVING ATOTAL WIDTH APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE COMBINED WIDTH OF TWO OF SAIDSECTIONS AND THE PAIR OF UNITARY SIDE MEMBERS, AND A DETACHABLE BRACEMEMBER EXTENDING BETWEEN THE RESPECTIVE SECTIONED SIDE MEMBERS, THELATTER BEING NOTCHED TO RECEIVE THE ABUTTING ENDS OF SAID BRACE MEMBER,WITH THE BRACE MEMBER BEING OPERATIVE TO PREVENT INWARD MOVEMENT OF SAIDSECTIONS TO FOLDED POSITIONS, SAID BRACE MEMBER AND SAID SIDE MEMBERSEACH HAVING A PAIR OF NOTCHES IN THE BOTTOM EDGES THEREOF, SPACED TOPERMIT RECEPTION OF A FORK LIFT THEREUNDER ON WHICH THE PALLET MAY BECARRIED.